Samuel Pearson (abt. 1724 - 1790)

Born about 23 Aug 1724 in Philadelphia, Province of Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Husband of Martha (Worthington) Pearson — married Nov 1749 in Virginia

Husband of Mary (Rogers) Pearson — married 1762 in Fredericks, Virginia

Husband of Mary (Vaughn) Steddom — married 29 Aug 1772 in Newberry, South Carolina

Descendants

Died 8 Jan 1790 at about age 65 in Bush River, Newberry County, South Carolina, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: T Stanton [send private message] and Ron Pearson [send private message]

Biography

Samuel was a Friend (Quaker)

It is commonly seen that Samuel Pearson was born 1724 and a bible believed to be that of his mother contains the date 23 Aug 1724.^[1]

Samuel Pearson wrote his Will on 16th 1st month 1788. It was proved March 1790 and recorded April 16, 1790.^[2] He died 8 Jan 1790.^[3][4]

Marriages and Children

Note: the children with dates of birth but not identification of the mother are found in Bush River Meeting minutes.^[5]

First Wife Mary Worthington 1749 [Quaker marriage intention not yet located, many of the records of this period in Virginia destroyed by fire in 1759.]

• Mary - b 26 Feb 1750 (it is unclear if Hinshaw has converted the month)
• Enoch - b 14 Feb 1752
• William - b 1 Apr 1754

Note that Samuel on 2 Jul 1764 (a year after his reinstatement to the church, see below) requested church membership at Hopewell Monthly Meeting for Mary, Enoch, William and Benjamin^[6] as being too young to request it for themselves.

Second Wife Mary Rogers, 8 Feb 1762^{[7][citation needed]} It appears Samuel married outside the church after specific caution against this. Proceedings against him over this began in August 1762.^[8] He was eventually reinstated to the Hopewell Monthly Meeting on 6 Jun 1763.^[9] There are numerous entries in the Hopewell MM record regarding the matter.

• Martha - b 15 Jan 1759 (see Note)
• Benjamin Pearson - b 26 Feb 1763
• Hannah Pearson - b 23 Mar 1765
• Samuel Pearson - b 3 Nov 1767
• Eunice Pearson - b 5 Mar 1770

Note: it is unclear if Martha is the daughter of the first or second wife. The date of death of the first wife is unknown and the actual date of marriage to Mary Rogers is also unknown.

Third Wife Mary Steddom, 1 Oct 1772^[10][11]

• Sarah - b 23 Aug 1773

Will and Burial

In his Will he bequeaths the majority of his plantation holdings to son Benjamin and wife Mary. The other children are bequeathed sums from 10 to 30 pound plus various farm animals. Executors are sons Enoch and William Pearson, Henry Stiddom and Benjamin Pearson.

Burial: Bush River Quaker Cemetery Newberry, Newberry County, South Carolina.^[12]

Research Notes

There is a birth record for a Samuel Pearson^[13] dated 2 May 1730 in Bucks, Pennsylvania to Enoch and Margaret Pearson. A similar record exists in Uwchlan MM minutes but is undated.^[14] This may or may not be this Samuel Pearson. Not all of the siblings match the siblings in this profile.

This may be part of the sourcing for the book "Genealogy of William Smith of Wrightstown, Bucks County" by Josiah B Smith in 1883. On page 80 Smith lists the date of birth as 1730 to an Enoch Pearson and Margaret Smith but has Enoch's parents listed as a Thomas and Grace Pearson which are not this family. It has been thought by several researchers that several of the Pearson families of this area at this time are still intermingled in genealogical records.

Sources

1. ↑ From the "Geo Macy Bible" found in the Sinks home, Dayton, Ohio which is plausibly believed to have been that of Mary Smith Pearson. The original records from Pennsylvania are not extant and many of the records from Hopewell burned in the 1759 fire which destroyed many early Virginia Quaker records.
2. ↑ Wates, Wylma Anne. South Carolina Wills and Probate Records, Newberry, Index and Wills Vol 1, Books A, B, D, 1776-1814. A typed transcript of his Will with the notation that the Original Will is not in the file of the Probate Judge.
3. ↑ Hinshaw, William Wade, et al., compilers. Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, Vol 1, Pg 1022
4. ↑ Guilford College; Greensboro, North Carolina; Records-Marriages, Vol 02, 1797-1807; Collection: North Carolina Yearly Meeting Minutes
5. ↑ Hinshaw, Wm Wade, et al, compilers; Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, I:1022, Bush River Meeting minutes.
6. ↑ Swarthmore College; Swarthmore, Pennsylvania; Minutes, 1759-1776; Collection: Baltimore Yearly Meeting Minutes; Call Number: RG2/B/H671 1.2
7. ↑ Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line].
8. ↑ Swarthmore College; Swarthmore, Pennsylvania; Minutes, 1759-1776; Collection: Baltimore Yearly Meeting Minutes; Call Number: RG2/B/H671 1.2
9. ↑ Swarthmore College; Swarthmore, Pennsylvania; Minutes, 1759-1776; Collection: Baltimore Yearly Meeting Minutes; Call Number: RG2/B/H671 1.2 Frederick, Hopewell Monthly Meeting minutes
10. ↑ South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol 5, # 3
11. ↑ Guilford College; Greensboro, North Carolina; Minutes, 1805-1820; Collection: North Carolina Yearly Meeting Minutes
12. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/171706359/samuel-pearson: accessed March 25, 2024), memorial page for Samuel Pearson Sr. (23 Aug 1724–8 Jan 1790), Find a Grave Memorial ID 171706359, citing Bush River Quaker Cemetery, Newberry, Newberry County, South Carolina, USA; Maintained by Caretaker † (contributor 47128278).
13. ↑ Swarthmore College; Swarthmore, Pennsylvania; Births, Burials and Marriage Certificates, 1720-1801; Collection: Quaker Meeting Records; Call Number: MR Ph 47
14. ↑ Swarthmore College; Swarthmore, Pennsylvania; Minutes, 1795-1809; Collection: Quaker Meeting Records; Call Number: MR Ph:626

• Vol. 1, p. 566 New Harden MM Guilford Co. N. Car. 08-30-1755 Samuel & w & ch rocf Bucks Co. Penn. dtd 04-17-1755 P. 1015 says Samuel, Enoch, Benjamin William Pearson early settlers 96th Dist. S. Car. Part of the Lower District between the Fork of Board & Saluda River listed on Grand Jury List and as Petit Juryman 1776-1778 Samuel, William, Enoch, John, Thomas.

• Marriage of child Benjamin Pearson: "U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935"
  Guilford College; Greensboro, North Carolina
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2189 #39061126 (accessed 18 October 2023)
  Samuel Pearson's child Benjamin Pearson marriage to Esther Furnas on 29 Apr 1790 in Newberry, South Carolina.